


Granknights: Beyond Worlds

by GaleSiege



Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game), 明日方舟 | Arknights (Video Game)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Crossover, Dark, Dystopian, F/F, F/M, Multi, Tactical
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-22
Updated: 2020-08-22
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:07:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26039962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GaleSiege/pseuds/GaleSiege
Summary: The title of the ever-mysterious 'Doctor' of Rhodes Island always carried significant power to those who have heard of him. But now, the world shook once more, as the destined 'Singularity' awakened his dormant power in the midst of horrifying chaos.While wandering blindly through the world because of his amnesia, 'Doctor' Gran finds himself to be pulled between two converging worlds. With both worlds shown two different versions of him, each claimed that the other is just a mere illusion. In the midst of the chaos, he finds out that he also must learn to control his newfound burst of power, while slowly unraveling the dark past that he will soon regret to discover.
Relationships: Amiya & Doctor (Arknights), Cagliostro & Gran (Granblue Fantasy), Doctor (Male)/Kal'tsit (Arknights)
Kudos: 8





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> My take on 'what if Arknights world and Granblue Fantasy world were merged into one, chaotic story'.
> 
> I planned this to be quite a long ride, but I'll work as hard as I can to make the best out of it. Hope you enjoy the story!

The world... Is a massive shithole.

One might say that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The joy of life must be perceived with an open heart, willing to accept the whispers of the universe. Life is beautiful, and we just have to try to see it that way.

Bullshit.

No matter how poets try to sow mountains of roses on a pile of corpses, the stench and rot will soon corrupt the symbols of beauty.

The world is cursed.

It's cursed by the same essence that blessed it. Originium - the bane and solace of the world of Terra. We, humans, are addicted to it; revolving our whole civilization around it. And blinded by the limitless possibilities, we consciously ignored the plague we brought upon ourselves.

The plague? It's not oripathy.

No, the terminal illness is just a convenient excuse.

The real plague is ourselves, humans. The wretched beings controlled by greed and fear, unwilling to set aside even the slightest signs of 'abnormality'. Every deviation of what's 'normal' shall die. At the very least, they must suffer.

Those who fought for virtue were culled, butchered like animals. All for the sake of preserving the illusion of wealth and power the privileged few can bear. And the masses? The 'normal people'? They followed the devil without asking questions, all for the sake of survival.

In this wretched state, one could not fight on their own.

To cleanse the sins of mankind, they need power. Above all that exists, above the world, above the gods.

Whatever the cost.

"Kuhuhu-"

A revolting voice, as if dozens of different people spoke at the same time, slithered into a man's ears.

"Really? Am I hearing it wrong?"

Amidst the ashen fog that filled the world, a massive shadow slowly appeared, with faint shapes of limbs sprouting out in a disorganized manner on its sides.

"Ugh... Aahh-"

Low groans disturbed the scene. The source was impossible to find under such thick fog, but the shadow flinched, and ever slowly, turned the topmost part of its body, which apparently was its head, to the side. A long, thin, horizontal line streaked across its head and a gap emerged as if it'll split the head into two.

Is it smiling?

"No.. No.. Please!"

Then, one of the limbs shot out to the side, drawing a short but sharp arc in the air and came down to the floor, triggering a heavy crash. Loud splashing and crunching sounds emerged, accompanied by the stench of fresh blood.

  
"Gahakk!!"

After spitting out a short grunt, the voice quickly died down.

"So you were saying..."

The overlapping voice ringed once more.

"You prepared all of these efforts and sacrifices, just for..."

The limb raised up, grabbing a lump of 'something' with it. A mass of sticky liquid dripping down.

"... That?"

"Yes."

A man draped in a black coat standing in front of the shadow answered with an unsettling solemn tone.

"Kuhu-"

"..."

"Kuhahaha- KUHAHAHAHAHAH!!!"

With each breath of laughter, the world trembled. The thick ashen fog mysteriously subsided, revealing what was hidden underneath. Slowly, ever slowly, from the point where the man's feet were, a crimson color bloomed outward.

Like spraying paint to a white canvas, the gruesome color crawled out in all directions.

The whole world became dyed in red, with decorations of corpses, lumps of meat, torn limbs, and a sea of blood, stretching far and wide towards the horizon. If one could depict the entrance of hell, this view could perfectly fit right in.

And in the middle of it all, the indecipherable grotesque shape of something was 'sitting' in front of the lone man. Who, shockingly enough, appeared to be unfazed by the scenery around him.

"Kuhuhu-"

As the laughter died down, so did the world.

"I spared my time to see you with my - undivided - attention, thinking that you, perhaps, will be different. You will be worth my time. But alas..."

As it trails its words off, the shadow leaned slightly forward.

"You are no different."

An indescribable wretched aura pulsated through the air, enough to trigger a retching reflex for normal humans. Yet the man still remains unfazed.

The pressure continues. With each pulse, the thin line of black smoke radiating from the shadow grew thicker.

After a dozen pulses, the air trembled, and the last pulse exploded with a massive force. The smoke, now towering high like an ethereal tsunami, filled the man's view and approached him with high speed. As it brushed through him, an invisible impetus toppled his balance. He staggered for a split second and moved his right leg back to regain his posture.

Seeing what happened to the man, the shadow grinned.

"But it seems, you will at least be ... Amusing."

The man remained still, with his head hanging down.

"Tell me."

The shadow leaned back and the fog subsided.

"Do you think it'll be worth it?"

"..."

"The sacrifices you made... The lives you gave... The betrayal you did.."

"..."

"How can you be so sure that - I - of all beings, would grant your wish exactly how you hoped it to be? Hmm?

The man straightened his back and raised his head; staring straight up the shadow's head.

"Ho... A tough guy act. It doesn't matter. I can read your mind."

A wide horizontal gap appeared on the spot where the 'mouth' of the shadow should be.

"You know why? Because I... am..."

The overlapping voices suddenly focused into one, heavy tone.

"... You."

The shadow picked up a large lump of meat at its side.

"So, tell me. You know exactly who I am. What I am."

And threw it into its gaping mouth.

It chewed with grandiose while still maintaining its grin. For the next several moments, the sounds of cracking bones and ripping flesh were the only thing that can be heard.

As a finale, it drew a huge gulp and a satisfied sigh.

"What makes you think that I will bow down to you? To grant your wish for such measly sacrifices?"

The shadow roared in laughter before it abruptly stopped and shot its head forward with unbelievable speed until it was only an inch away from the man's face.

"What makes you think I will not tear your puny little wish apart and make everyone you tried to protect... suffer?"

The voice hushed down, almost like its whispering.

"What do you think you can give... _Me_?"

A heavy silence descended.

After uncountable moments of deliberation, the man parted his lips slightly and mumbled something under his breath.

Suddenly, the shadow flinched. Its whole body quivered heavily before bursting a terrifying laugh, sending wide ripples across the crimson sea.

"You? A puny little mortal? Could give me 'that'??!!"

How long has time passed? No one's counting. One was busy laughing its ass off, and one was barely moving the whole time.

Eventually, the laugh receded.

And the malicious, grotesque grin returned.

"Interesting. No one in that world can give it to me. Even though I've been patient, waiting for centuries."

"But you..."

The shadow nodded once.

*Crack!*

A corpse to its side flinched and struggled to stand up.

"You... Might be able to do it."

Like a domino, it triggered all the other corpses around it to move.

"After all, you are the one..."

And the world soon filled with swaying corpses.

They stood still for a moment before one corpse swung its fleshless leg forward. One step, two steps, towards the unmoving man.

The other corpses followed and surrounded him.

"... The Singularity."

"Guoooooo!!!!"

The corpses lurched forward, overwhelming the man with terrifying numbers. One after another, they piled up, forming a hill of the dead.

"Don't disappoint me..."

Anguish wails filled the world.

"... Doctor."

And the symphony of ripping flesh commenced.


	2. Catastrophic Advent

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chernoborg is in chaos, and in the midst of the bloodbath, a certain girl is trying her best to survive, only to find herself in an escalating predicament.

The world is ending.

With each passing second, a person dies. Some were mauled to death, some burned, some trampled, all suffered. Proverbial hell has descended on the glorified Ursus city of Chernoborg.

Screams of terror decorated the clashing riots throughout the entire city. What was once something that only struck the unfortunate few, has now pulled a switcheroo. The infected, finally launching their revenge for decades of persecution and injustice, are sowing death and chaos indiscriminately. All who do not bear the same scars as them shall be butchered, such was their vendetta. 

No one in their right mind could imagine they could stage a revolt on such a scale. The vast Ursus government could always suppress them with its overwhelming enforcement institutions. And yet, the same force was being pushed to the corner, unable to dam the waves of riot flooding through the massive city.

Amidst the chaos, survival was left in the hands of fate. Nothing can be done but to run; scurrying through the alleys, hoping that the crevices of the city could conceal the steps of the prey from starving predators.

And under the cover of a dark alley, three souls were trying their best to flee.

"Aaahh!!"

A young woman stumbled on her swaying steps. An older woman hurriedly turned back and reached out. 

"What are you doing?! Get up now!"

"I… I *huk* cant anymore.. *huk*"

"You have to! You must! We need to hurry or they'll-"

"There! Around the corner!"

Shadows of half a dozen men danced on the wall not too far from them and grew in size with terrifying speed.

"Kh-! Damn it!"

Another girl, way shorter than the two, spat our curses and snatched the young girl's hand.

"Are you fucking twats just gonna stand there??!! Fucking move it!"

The two women’s consciousness snapped back in. With much struggle, they stand on their feet and continue their dash forward. 

"I-I'm sorry! I.."

"Shut it! Save your fucking breath!"

The young girl flinched and hurriedly wiped her eyes with her sleeves. The small girl glanced sideways and clicked her tongue in frustration. Her eyes darted wildly in all directions.

"What the fuck is happening? What is this place!?"

The small girl turned left on a narrow junction, leaving a trail of flowing blonde hair dancing in the air. The two women followed the trails of the long golden strands disappearing around the corner without a sound but the heavy take of their breaths. 

As they slither through the endless alley, the darkness covering them slowly lifted, losing the fight against the intense raging fire surrounding them. The more they run forward, the brighter the flames, and the louder the screams. 

The small girl snapped her head back and shouted as they ran.

"Oi! Where the hell are we?! Where's the exit?!"

"I.. We… We don't know!"

"Ha?!! Aren't you two locals of this town??"

"Y-Yes! B-But everything.. Everything is.."

The older woman pinned her sight to the side, beyond the wide street, amidst the ruins, the fire, and the dismembered bodies laying on the ground. A glint of disbelief streaked across her eyes, unable to find any trace of familiarity of the city she lived in.

"Tch! Fine! We'll just have to keep going east. Maybe we'll-"

"Huh? What's-"

"Damn it!"

"Hey, you! Stop!!"

Dead ahead, another group of men blocked the way. They shouted, swinging the ragtag weapons they have in hand, and rushed towards the girls.

"This way!"

The women made a sharp left turn, a rock throw away before crashing into the group.

"Get over here you Ursus fuckers!"

*THWACK!’'

"Kyaaah!!"

Something sharp struck the wall next to them, missing the intended target by a slight strand of hair. 

"W-Wha!?"

"Keep running! Don't look back!"

*SWIIIISH!' 'THWACK!' 'THWACK!' 'THWACK!!*

The same sound, again and again. For each whistling wind, a blunt sound followed; on their left, right, behind - everywhere around them. Regardless of what they were, they know if just one of those struck them, they're a goner for sure.

'BOOM!'

The world shook - an explosion in the distance. Debris flying down from the rooftops, showering the alley relentlessly with death from above. Rocks of varying sizes raced to slam the swiveling heads. 

"Watch out!!"

"Ugh!"

With their hands on their heads, they tried to force their way through the dust storm, hoping to discourage their pursuer with a risky venture. With only several meters of visibility ahead, navigating through the rocky rain is practically a suicide. 

But the sound of heavy footsteps did not recede. Instead, it grew in number, and they could swear they heard manic cackling and laughter. Did they actually feel thrilled from such a life-threatening chase?

“Fuck!”

The small girl listened to her instinct and ducked down to slide on the ground, almost failed to save her head from a diagonal steel beam blocking the path. She twisted and jumped, going back to the beam to place both of her hands on it.

“Hurry! Over here!”

She could see the two women losing their breath were only several seconds away from their pursuer. She needs to do something to lose them.

“Guhhhh!”

With everything her small frame can muster, she pushed the steel beam forward. While it barely budged, the rubbles leaning on top of it for support started to rumble. 

‘THWACK!’

Something struck the other side of the beam. The girl’s eyes shot wide open, welcoming the sight of half a dozen men fixing their crossbow aim on her - ready to fire. One breath away and the sounds of air being split could be heard. Numbers of black streaks entered her view, triggering her instinct to take cover.

‘THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!’

Somehow, there’s no burning sensation on her body. Miraculously, none of it struck her. She raised her head up again and saw the two women still running, only a few breaths away. Lady luck smiled.

The small girl pushed the steel again. This time, it budged. Small pebbles and dust showered her head with each push. She might be able to collapse it this time, but she can’t. Not yet.

“Guhhh!! Hurry the fuck up, damnit!!”

After a few seconds that felt like an eternity, the two women finally slid past the hurdle with a couple dozens of men following a few meters behind them. The girl can practically see the twisted countenance and the cries of her pursuer. Crazed with lust, of blood or carnal desire; perhaps both at the same time. 

She will not wait to see what kind of debauched act such emotions could manifest. She has to lose them, now or never.

With one final push, the steel beam collapsed, along with the massive rubbles on top of it. The girl jumped back just in time before she was buried alive, unlike the ragtag bunch on the other side. The cacophony of the man-made avalanche was evenly rivaled by the agonized screaming. Some died down instantly; most of them, however, were tenaciously clinging to the world. Something worse than a swift death must’ve embraced them.

The two women were in shock by the scene, but not for long. The small girl quickly snatched their hands and ran once again. 

There’s no time to sigh a breath of relief. That group was just a drop in the ocean. If they don’t escape soon, they will be surrounded by another group several times larger than before. They need to find somewhere safe, or someone who can help them.

Just then...

“I-Is that?”

At the far end of the alley, a wide opening that leads to the main road can be seen. Standing there, dozens of men clad with imposing riot gear stands firm in a tight formation.

“Ursus guards! We’re saved!”

The older woman screamed with overjoy. Her steps suddenly hastened, no longer being led by the small girl.

“Hurry! We just have to go there and they’ll protect-”

*WHOOOSH!!*

“Gyaaaahh!!!”

“Aagghhh”

“Fall back! Fall back!”

“It burns! It burns!! Gaaaaah!”

It happened in the blink of an eye. 

A storm of fire, if that’s the best way to describe it, swept through the mass. 

The formation instantly crumbled, and the menacing men standing firm just now were replaced by a group of what looked like burnt, wriggling worms. The surge of hope disappeared as fast as it came, and the steps of the running women quickly came to a complete stop with laboring breaths.

“N-No way…”

The older woman trembled. Her hand covered her mouth as streams of tears rained down her face.

"Even.. Even the royal guards? There’s… There’s no way… We’ll survive this…”

The small girl gritted her teeth. She turned her head towards the older woman and shouted.

“Oi! There’s no time to stop! We have to-”

Suddenly, something black entered her view. Before she could recognize what it was, the world spun backward.

*THUD!*

She’s laying on the ground. Her whole body ached. Her eyes shot open while being unable to move a single muscle. Involuntary groans escaped her mouth and nothing else. Nothing but a high pitched ring was playing in her ears. 

Time mysteriously slowed down. 

And she can’t do anything but to witness their biggest fear. 

One, two, three men grabbed the other women. With laughs and their tongues sticking out, they ripped their victim’s clothes slowly. A patch of skin exposed, one by one until there’s hardly any cover left. Their screams and pleads of mercy only incited more vigor in the lusted beasts.

“Oh..? This one’s still awake after a clear hit to the head? This will be interesting.”

A man with disgusting features entered the small girl’s view. The foul stench escaping from his grinning mouth forced her to flinch. 

“Shame. I want to eat that plump one, but she looks busy. She got half a dozen dicks on her already, heh. Can’t be helped.”

A massive fist clamped on the girl’s neck and lifted her up. Her tightened throat struggled for air. 

“I bet you will be tight as hell at least. Hmph!!”

The man shoved his hand, along with the girl, to the wall next to them. 

*BAAAM!*

“Gahaak!!!”

“That’s it. That’s the sound. Now..”

The man brought his mouth closer to her ear.

“Moan some more.”

The fist tightened, blocking the rest of the meager airflow left in her throat. She squirmed, flailing her limp arms at the massive hand. Like a chunk of steel, it won’t budge. The vain struggle only added more fuel to his lust.

“O.. Ouro.. Boros…”

With her laboring breath, she called out a name. 

“...”

But nothing happened. 

‘Figures. My alchemy doesn’t work. Why would Ouroboros come out now?’

“You done?”

The man’s grin widened and placed his hand on her side, tracing each and every curve. 

‘Fuck. No substitute body as well. Is this it? Am I going to die here?’

The hand stopped right under her mini skirt; locked on a thin piece of fabric hidden from sight.

‘On this weird, messed up world? Me? The world’s cutest genius alchemist?’

And slowly, ever slowly, the fabric slides down her thigh.

‘... Damnit.’

What’s left of her consciousness starts to leave her body along with her breath.

‘... Save... Me…’

The world faded to black, with the sensation of a piece of fabric taken down from her legs.

‘... Gran!’

‘BOOM!’

A loud sound, followed by a cacophony of explosions, confused screaming and shouting. 

After a short falling sensation, the girl felt her body land on the hard ground - with the absence of disgusting hands on her.

She wheezed, coughing hard for air. Confused and relieved, she tried to pry open her eyelids with great difficulty. 

But it won’t move. The world stays dark, with only a mess of sound guiding her senses.

“Over here! Medic!”

A sweet, young girl’s voice filled with urgent worry. 

Then, a warm sensation touched her chest and spread through her whole body. She felt lighter, and with no stiffened muscles, she can finally open her eyes - slowly.

The tender expression of a long-haired girl, with a couple of bunny ears on her head, welcomed her sight. Her face warps from that of worry, to a smile of relief. 

“Are you okay? I’m glad we made it in time.”

“Vital signs are stable, Amiya. She’s not hurt that bad, thankfully. She’ll be fine after a short rest.”

Another girl from the side of the small girl's view chimed in. 

“Are you sure? Run another check on her.”

“Y-Yes I’m sure. She’s-”

“Do it. Please, medic.”

“...”

The medic girl studied the small girl from the top to bottom, and when she reached out to touch the small girl’s chest, a trembling, small hand stopped her. 

“I-I’m fine. P-Please.. Take.. Care.. Of the.. Other.. Two..”

The small girl spoke with great difficulty. 

After a moment of worry and deliberation, the girl called Amiya finally nodded at the Medic. She nodded back and rushed away. 

“W-Who.. Are..”

“Ah- Don’t worry. We are from Rhodes Island. We’re not going to hurt you.”

The girl was unable to digest any of the information. But somehow, she released a sigh of relief.

“Y-You?! Y-You’re one of the infected too?”

The young woman shouted with a trembling voice.

“P-Please! No! S-Spare us! I-It was them! We didn’t do anything! We didn’t! I swear!”

“W-Wait, we’re not from Reunion. We’re-”

“No!!! Please!!! Stay back!! I’m sorry! Please!!”

The woman shrunk at the sight of Amiya approaching her, with clear terror overwhelming her eyes. Still without any strand of clothes on her, she clutched the younger woman in her embrace.

Amiya sighed and nodded at the man with a full tactical gear next to her. The man nodded back, took his jacket off, and wrapped it on the woman’s body. Another man followed suit and did the same to the younger woman. 

“We will leave you alone, you have my word.”

“Hi- Hiiii!!”

The two women scurried off immediately, leaving the group of people that just saved them without a second thought. The small girl, seeing the whole fiasco, could only chuckle faintly under her breath.

“... Amiya.”

“It’s fine.”

“...”

Amiya turned around and approached the small girl.

“Are you feeling a little better now? Can you stand?”

“Y-Yeah… Thank you.”

The small girl took Amiya’s stretched out hand and stood up.

“Did they just call you an infected?”

“... Yes. Can’t you tell?”

Amiya raised her hand and showed the back of her palm. Azure rings nestled on each of her fingers, with faint streaks of black ‘veins’ spreading out from under the sleeves of her jacket to the back of her hand.

“Don’t worry though. We’re not like the ones chasing you. You can trust me.”

She opened her mouth slightly before closing it again and nodded once instead. Thousands of questions went through the little girl’s head, but her gut told her that the mysterious group is trustworthy enough. 

“Thank you. You don’t look like you’re from around here. You have anywhere to go?”

“I.. Don’t know. This world is-”

She gave a sidelong glance and gritted her teeth, seemingly frustrated with her own nescience.

“It’s okay. If you have nowhere to go, would you like to come with us? We’re planning to get out of this city. You can figure out what to do later.”

Amiya smiled with warm kindness radiating from her eyes. An unexpected sight to see in this alien world. To survive, the girl felt that this stranger was her best bet. 

“Very well. I’ll go with you until we’re out of this city.”

“Wonderful.”

Amiya’s smile widened even more as she presented her hand forward.

“I’m Amiya, and you?”

After a quick glance at Amiya's hand, the girl accepted the handshake.

“Cagliostro.”

“Cagliostro, is it? Nice to meet you.”

Amiya stood up after the handshake and turned her head back.

“That’s the situation, doctor. Is it fine?”

“Well, you’ve decided already, haven't you?”

‘Eh?’

A young man’s voice entered the fray. Soon, a figure draped in a black coat emerged from the shadows. After a few steps, he took off his mask.

“No choice but to go on with it then.”

‘N-No way…’

A familiar face, the only one in the whole wide world that she trusted right after her own self, appeared right in front of her.

“... Gran?”

‘Swish!’

Amiya quickly turned toward Cagliostro. With her brows furrowed deeply, her warm and sweet countenance are nowhere to be seen - replaced by embers of wariness and suspicion. She slid one of her feet back and took a battle stance, as with all of her companions. Except for the man in black coat, they all raised their weapons at Cagliostro.

The air turned heavy in an instant. 

“Who are you?”

Amiya spoke with a cold, threatening voice.

“W-What?”

“I said, who are you?! Answer me!”

A black aura appeared on Amiya’s hand. Slowly, the malicious shadow transformed into black, hazy arrows floating around her. 

Each aimed straight at Cagliostro’s heart.


	3. Catastrophic Advent (2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cagliostro was forced to engage her savior to save the man she knew, but fate dictates otherwise.

How long has it been? As if time itself had frozen, not a single thing moved for countless moments. A dozen pairs of eyes staring straight to a small girl with frilly clothes, a bizarre sight to behold under normal circumstances.

But not a single thing the girl encountered so far was normal. She expected some kind of trouble no matter who or what she meets, but this particular moment took an unexpected turn. Cagliostro squinted her eyes, carefully studied the group of a dozen people surrounding her, and landed on a particular man draped in a black coat.

"Oi, Gran! What is the meaning of this? Why are you tagging along with this bunch?"

"Huh? You know me?"

"Of course I know you! What kind of bullshit are you spewing out?!"

"Uh... Well, I lost my memories, you see... And these guys saved me."

"... Saved you?"

Amiya raised her hand to the side, blocking the man's view.

"Doctor, stand back. This might be dangerous."

"Eh? But-"

Gran's complaint fell to deaf ears, as Amiya's eyes are still fixated on Cagliostro and ignored him completely.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. Who are you?" 

“Didn’t I just tell you my name?”

“You know what I mean.”

Despite the unfavorable situation she’s in, Cagliostro only showed off a smug smile.

“That’s the problem, little girl. I don’t.”

Amiya’s eyebrows twitched. Her eyes slowly narrowed to a slit.

“Doctor’s identity is not exactly well-known. And then out of nowhere, a stranger in the middle of a city under siege recognizes him in one look?”

"..."

"You need to explain yourself."

Cagliostro did not reply. Instead, she slowly walked to the side, bent down, and picked up a piece of small white cloth with cute red lace on it.

“And what exactly are you implying by that?”

She nonchalantly examined the cloth and dusted it with her hand. Then, she kneads the cloth a little bit, revealing a piece of sharp glass shard wrapped inside it. 

“Are you saying... ”

She bent down again, carefully spread out the white cloth, slipped her legs in one by one, and slowly pulled the cloth up. The twin hole on it easily glides past the small yet firm calves before struggling to pass the fleshy thighs. With one graceful movement, she placed her precious garment in place without lifting her mini-skirt.

“... I’m a suspicious person?”

“Yes.”

Cagliostro raised her head forward with a grin slowly blooming on her face.

“I could say the same about you”.

“?”

“Out of nowhere, I’m suddenly transferred to this weird world, got chased by blood-crazed lunatics right off the bat, and then suddenly ran into an armed group that drags along my captain who conveniently lost his memories? Sounds suspicious to me.”

“...”

“I mean.. Maybe... All of this shitty mess is because of your doing, and my darling captain there is being kidnapped and brainwashed by you lot.”

Cagliostro took a step forward and stealthily concealed the glass shard in her palm.

“Maybe, just maybe. If I could just kill you, little girl. Then swiftly grab my captain and get the hell out of here, everything will return to normal.”

“Don’t come any closer.”

“Or what? You’ll kill me?”

Cagliostro’s gaze sharpened. Intense focus and anger were apparent in her eyes.

“Go ahead and try. I will save him and get us out of here or die trying.”

“Stop!”

Cagliostro hastened her steps.

“I said stop!!!”

“Screw you!!!”

The series of events happened in a blink of an eye.

Cagliostro rushed forward with frightening agility, with a sharp glass shard wielded like a dagger on her hand. The armed group flinched and were caught by surprise, frantically repositioned their weapons and aimed at the girl. But they wouldn’t make it in time, as Cagliostro was already several breaths away from their leader. 

Then, what looked like a black shadow suddenly leaped in front of Amiya. Cagliostro smacked her lips and kicked the ground as hard as she could. The sight of an acrobatic spin was a sight to behold, as she easily jumped past the shadow and landed right in front of Amiya.

*SWISH!*

The sound of air being split emerged as the glass dagger immediately launched forward, on its way to Amiya’s body. 

*SMACK!*

“Guhh!!!”

The blade stopped mid-air. Or rather, the hand holding it was. 

Cagliostro looked down and saw a black carbon rope tangling her hand. She traced the source to her back, a pair of brown eyes were glaring at her. The shadow, a dog-eared woman with long, straight black hair, was pulling on her whip as hard as she could.

Cagliostro was caught.

“Damn it!”   
  


She turned her head back to Amiya, who still has her hand trained on Cagliostro. 

The black shards around Amiya start to quiver violently. She stared at the entangled girl and screamed as loud as she could. 

Cagliostro shut her eyes tight. 

*BOOM!!*

An explosion and a stench of charred flesh emerged, followed by a heavy thud. 

This should be the moment when the kiss of death finally embraced her after cheating her way out of it again and again. Yet, when the sound receded, she could still feel the signal of her senses screaming at her brain.

Cagliostro pried her eyes open. blinked several times, and looked down on her body to find no wounds. She turned her head around and saw a man, twice the size of her, laying on the ground several meters away with a huge hole on his chest. A crossbow slipped from his limp hand and dropped to the ground.

“Wha-”

Cagliostro struggled to process what just happened. But before she could, a woman with a crossbow shouted at the top of her lungs.

“Hostile snipers!!”

The sound of air being split several times ringed and countless arrows landed all around them. 

“Everyone take cover!”

A dozen bodies rushed back to the narrow alley.

“Defenders! Take point!”

A couple of men raised their giant shields and planted them on the alley entrance, cutting off several flying bolts from its path.

The rain of arrows continued relentlessly, yet none of them reached their targets; unable to pass through the shields and the buildings.

"Heh. I thought you're going to kill me for real just now."

Cagliostro snickered to Amiya, who’s crouching right next to her.

“Scout! What’s going on?”

Amiya didn’t notice the snide remarks and shouted at the crossbow-wielding woman instead.

“T-There’s at least a dozen snipers on the buildings aiming at us, Amiya! We can’t go back down the alley as well, we’re surrounded!”

“No visuals of hostile foot soldiers yet, but they will corner us if we stay here.”

The shadow that stopped Cagliostro chimed in.

“We need to move, Amiya.”

“Instructor Dobermann..”

Amiya stared at the shadow, who apparently was named Dobermann, for a moment. She switched her gaze to the open road, where arrows still rained down on them, then to her wrist. She touched several buttons on a wristwatch-like device and a holographic map projected out from it. 

“We’re five clicks away from the rendezvous point, and the only way there is northward, down the road to the left.”

“The snipers are positioned right to our front and to our right. We could get away from them as we run.”

“Yes, but..”

The group gazed on the wide road. There’s hardly any cover to go around, and even with the several shields they have, covering the whole group is out of the question.

According to the map, there are no alleyways near them to hide in either. It’s a long straight road for several hundred meters. 

“We could make a run for it. But doing so will risk heavy casualties.” 

The female scout spoke with difficulty. Amiya bit her lips and scowled deeply as she wracked her brain to find a way out.

“... We could have the defenders protect our key members, and the rest will-”

“No!”

Amiya screamed.

“I will not sacrifice anyone in this mission! We will get out of this together!”

The scout who raised the idea averted his gaze. Moments passed, and no one voiced anything. Apparently, no one knows exactly what is going on in this city, even though they looked like a professional group with extensive experience. 

Several thoughts ran through Cagliostro’s mind, though she refrained to voice any. She decided that for now, it’s best to observe.

“Hmm... Can’t we block their view or something? Like with smoke or something..?”

Out of nowhere, Gran casually spoke to himself as he was thinking. The random idea, however, was caught by everyone there and instantly sent a surge of optimism to the group.

“Smokescreen!”

“Scout! How much smoke grenade do we have left?”

“There’s none left, Amiya. We only have several flashbangs-”

“Flashbangs wouldn’t work here..”

Amiya closed her eyes and ruffled her head.

“Uggh… Is there nothing else we can use?”

“..”

“Doctor! What do we have to do here?”

“Eh? Why are you asking me?”

“Because you’re the Doctor! And you gave us the idea with the smokescreen just now!”

“I was just thinking out loud, I didn’t exactly know how to get ourselves a smokescreen-”

“You’re just not thinking hard enough, Doctor! I know you can get us out of here! You always do!”

“Amiya, enough.”

Dobermann grabbed Amiya’s shoulder. Amiya flinched and stopped her words.

“He lost his memories, there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“But…”

Dobermann shook her head. After a moment of deliberation, Amiya finally relented and dropped her shoulders. 

After being silent the whole time, Gran’s involvement somehow enticed Cagliostro to finally speak.

“So you guys only need some kind of smokescreen, right? I could make them for you.”

“Eh?”

Amiya gave Cagliostro a confused look, wondering if she’s just making fun of the situation. 

Cagliostro replied by picking up some kind of flask with silvery liquid from her belt. Of course, while showing her trademark vile-looking grin. 

“In case you didn’t know, I’m the world’s cutest super genius alchemist. This kind of thing is child’s play.”

It’s uncertain what she’s hoping to see by throwing around such a bizarre remark, as it only incites furrowed brows at best. Even then, Cagliostro did not lose her confidence. 

The weirded-out group switched their gazes to their leader. Unlike the rest of the group, Amiya’s expression remained still, as if she’s seriously deliberating the eccentric girl’s offer. After a short pause, Amiya calmly spoke.

“What do you need?”

“Oy, Amiya! Are you serious? You can’t possibly-”

“I’m sorry if my decision sounds rash. But we don’t have any other options do we?”

“That’s-”

“Then we shall go with her plan, whatever it is. Now, what do you need?”

After letting out a short snicker, Cagliostro pointed at one of the giant shields; currently not used to block any projectiles. As soon as she did, the owner of the shield shrunk back, clearly refusing to part with his baby. He looked at Amiya in hope of support, but his hope was immediately crushed as she only gave an apologetic look and silently gestured to him to give the shield.

Although the owner was reluctant, he gave in at the end. Even if it’s not in the best interest of all, they know for sure to waste time is the worst thing they could do right now. As such, the defender took off his shield and mounted it on Cagliostro’s back, like a tiny turtle with a giant shell. 

Cagliostro then moved right next to the open road littered with ruins and corpses, under the cover of the shield wall. Through the small gap between the shields, she scanned the scene. After a moment or two, she caught sight of her prey; a charred wooden stall, with fresh embers still pulsing in and out.

“There you are.”

She grinned at her target.

“Oy, muscleheads. At the count of three, I will make a run to that stall over there. Make sure to make way for me, you hear?” 

The two burly men holding the shields reluctantly turned their heads towards her and gave a short nod.

“Atta boy.”

She patted the guy next to her a couple of times, which was obviously ignored. Then, she took a step back and assumed a sprinting stance. She crouched, pulled her right leg back, and raised her body slightly, with eyes staring straight to her target.

She exhaled and inhaled a deep, long breath.

Her body remained perfectly still.

“One..”

“Two..”

“Three!”

The shield gate burst open simultaneously, and the blonde girl lurched forward like a flash. With astounding agility, the small turtle easily serpentined through the ruined landscape, not letting any debris nor corpses slow her steps. The lightning speed movement surprised the unsuspecting snipers, as they frantically tried to follow the movements of the golden-black flash several seconds too late.

Halfway through the dash, a rain of arrows finally commenced. Sending terrifying sounds of splitting air and crushed stones. Most of them missed their target and the ones that didn’t strike the shield mounted on Cagliostro’s back. The impact staggered her, but not enough to sway her steps. The turtle persevered.

Near the end of her track, she twists her body halfway. Like a graceful ice skating dance, she slid across the ground with her upper body still hanging in the air, barely missing the smoldering stalls by an inch. 

The amazing show of agility doesn’t stop there, as she continued to twist her body even further, with her right foot as a pivot. The moment she faced the ground, she planted her foot and kicked as hard as she could.

Just like that, she managed to turn around without inefficient loss of speed and used the momentum to grab a piece of half-burnt wood before returning in such speed, almost like everything happened in the blink of an eye.

The breathtaking dance dumbstruck everyone who witnessed it. If it wasn’t for the girl shouting ‘Oy, fuckheads! The fuck are you doing? Open up!’ several meters before crashing into the shield wall, the defenders might actually let the girl turn herself into a pancake. 

“Hah... Did... You guys... Hah... See... That? Guh... Told you... So.. Phaaah.”.

Back under the cover of the shields, Cagliostro heaved heavy, laboring breaths. Which apparently did not stop her to brag about her feat.

As irritated as they are, the group has no choice but to acknowledge her skills after such an impressive performance. None of them stare at her with a weird looks anymore, rather, they are tinged with a spark of hope, and a glint of awe. 

“What do you need next?”

Amiya did not succumb to the same sentiment for long and probed the exhausted-looking girl once more.

“Heh, not giving me any time to rest, are we? I like that.”

After she regained control of her breath, Cagliostro stood up and broke the wood in half.

“Give me your sugar.”

“Sugar?”

“Yes, any sugar will do.”

Amiya tilts her head slightly for a second, before calling out to the Medic and politely asking her to hand over her bag. She opened the bag and ruffled deep inside it, then pulled out a brown pack with a white and green sticker on it and handed it over to Cagliostro.

“Huh. You do have some.”

“What’s next?”

“Next? I need space.”

As Cagliostro grabbed what looked like a tiny pestle and mortar from her belt, Amiya took the hint and ordered her men to back off from Cagliostro. 

In no time at all, a set of portable alchemy equipment was already laid out on top of a leather sheet. Like a master cook in her kitchen, her hands moved as swift as flowing water. She ground the charred wood to charcoal-like dust in one hand while preparing and mixing some powder in another. 

The young man might not have any memory to compare Cagliostro’s display of skills with, but Gran was certain she might be one of the best in the world, if not ‘the’ best and couldn’t help but to visibly gawk at her, as does the rest of the group.

After she mixed the charcoal and the powder in the mortar, she covered the top with her palm and closed her eyes. A curious red glow leaked out of her hand as she mumbled something under her breath. After a few moments, the glow recedes. She then carefully poured the sugar and mixed it together.

Out of nowhere, she snatched a water bottle from a guy’s backpack next to her, poured out its content, and replaced it with the sand-like brown mixture she just made. 

“Give me five more bottles.”

The group complied and she did the same five times. On her last bottle, she exhaled a long breath and wiped the sweat off her fair-skinned face.

"There. Just chuck in a match or some kind of fire and voila, smoke grenade."

Cagliostro threw a bottle at Amiya and she effortlessly snatched it mid-air. Glancing at the stuff she just received, her brows furrowed slightly.

"Are you sure it's going to work?"

"What? You don't believe me?"

Her smug returned.

"Either it works or we die. Simple."

Amiya took her eyes off the bottle and scanned the faces around her. It would be lying to say they're all completely confident in the mystery concoction, but she of all people knew that this is the best bet they have, and they can’t afford to waste more time.

If the makeshift grenade could produce at least half the normal amount of smoke a smoke grenade does, they might have a chance of confusing the enemy for a while and let them dash away far enough out of the reach of the crossbows.

But this strategy highly depends on the incompetence of their enemy. A good sniper might be able to predict their target’s movement or just simply land a lucky shot to render the smoke useless.

When push comes to shove, prioritizing high valued individuals is a given, and they might have to sacrifice one or two operators.

And yet...

Amiya was determined to pull everyone out of this hell. Even if it’s the most ridiculous thing to do. Even if she has to go against all odds. When the worst happens, she will find a way to save everyone. She will not lose anyone ever again. Never.

The hands clutching the bottle grew tighter. She shook her head once to ward off any doubts left in her and stood up in haste. The group followed suit and stood up in tandem, with all eyes fixed on Amiya, waiting for her next command.

Amiya closed her eyes and drew a long breath in silence. 

After a second that felt like a hundred, she opened her eyes and turned to the alleyway entrance. She clenched her fist, and her lips parted ever slowly.

“Rescue team..”

It is now or never.

“.. Prepare to move out.”

  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Catastrophic Advent (3)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The peculiar alliance mustered their resolve to make their escape, but the plan turned unexpectedly sour.

In the dark alleyway of Chernoborg. A group of tactically geared operators were crouching behind a shield wall, waiting for their opportunity to spring out and dash for their lives. Among them, a blonde-haired girl was yawning wide. So wide that it could make people ask if she’s doing it intentionally. 

“What are we waiting for? Don’t we have what we need already?”

“Not yet. The wind is still picking up.”

Amiya replied without turning her face.

“We have to maximize the efficiency of our smoke. More wind means less smoke.”

She cut her words short, like a symbol of a don't disturb sign. Her eyes focused dead straight, studying any changes in the air. Seeing such a conscientious response, Cagliostro curled a corner of her lips upwards. 

“So you know your trade. Hmph. I thought you’re just a clueless brat forced to ascend to a throne.”

Cagliostro twisted her tone to sound exactly like a bitch. As if she was hoping her target would retaliate in a fit. But it seems like Amiya would not give her such luxury and ignored her completely. 

If Cagliostro did turn into a bitch, this is the perfect chance for her to snark away. Instead of continuing her assault, however, Cagliostro only snickered once and averted her gaze away. After a moment or two, she felt a gaze staring at her without the slightest hint of modesty. Disturbed by the rude act, she slowly turned her face around.

"You keep staring at me, Gran. What is it?"

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing."

"Hoo? Are you perhaps entranced by my beauty?"

Cagliostro snickered.

"Hmm.."

Gran looked like he’s seriously deliberating for a moment.

“I guess I am.”

"Ha?"

"Well, you certainly are cute. I mean, Amiya and the others are cute too, but your frilly clothes doubled, no... Tripled your cuteness."

Gran’s words flowed out with no restraints as if it’s the most natural thing to do. 

“And that small tear on the back of your clothes revealing a small part of your skin is oddly alluring to me too, I can’t stop looking at it.”

Cagliostro turned her head in a blitz, trying to see the spot Gran mentioned. But it’s useless. The spot he mentioned is beyond her line of sight. Without a mirror or such, she can’t check it herself. Understanding her vain attempt, she gave up, and her cheeks slowly flushed with rose-red bloom as she averted her eyes. 

Mysterious changes occurred in her body. Her heart skipped several beats, her face feels hot, and she can’t shake off the thought of the particular spot Gran mentioned before. She tried to speak and give a reply - a normal one, if not snarky reply as usual, but her stuttering prevented her to do so. 

This is weird. This is not like herself. As Cagliostro realized that her body's getting flustered, she faked a cough to hide her true feelings.

“That perverted part of yours... You’re Gran for sure. Did you really lose your memories?”

“I’m serious, I don’t remember anything,” said Gran plainly, “Your face looks oddly familiar though.”

Cagliostro gave a sidelong glance to Gran.

“Then there’s still hope to bring your memories back. Don’t worry, I’ll get you out of here when all of this is over.”

“Get out? Like, leaving Amiya and everyone else?”

“Naturally.”

“I.. Don’t think I can do that.”

“Ha? Why?”

“You certainly look familiar and I feel like I can trust you, but I feel the same way with Amiya. I don’t think they’re bad guys. It feels… Wrong to leave them just like that.”

Amiya’s bunny ears twitched. It seems like she heard them.

“So uh... Sorry. I think I’m going to stick around with them.”

The side of Amiya’s lips slightly curved upwards. Seeing this, a certain emotion boiled inside Cagliostro. Not enough to pop her vein, but enough to irritate her mood.

What is this? Did she just get dumped?

“Hoo... Really? Then I guess I have no choice but to tag along with you guys.”

Cagliostro glanced at Amiya with slightly squinted eyes. 

“Is that okay,  _ leader  _ Amiya?”

Amiya returned her gaze for a split second before focusing forward again.

“We can sort that out. As long as you answer our questions when we get back to Rhodes Island.”

“You mean an interrogation.”

“...”

Cagliostro’s snarky remarks were ignored by Amiya. Her focus remained on the wide road in front of her, carefully observing any slight changes in the air.

As with the others around her, every single operator was at the ready. Scanning every nook and cranny of what little field of vision they had. Except for the distant chaos and the dust blowing past the road, no other sound was made. As if no one was even breathing, they lie in wait under the shadows.

After a moment, Amiya’s right ear twitched and flipped to the side.

“The wind is starting to change, stand by.”

Weapons raised higher, shields clenched tighter, and breaths stopped in sync. 

And suddenly, the winds stopped blowing.

“Now!”

Tsssk! The sound of matches being lit nearly at the same time resounds. As they threw their matches in each of their smoke grenade bottles, greyish smoke burst out of the bottle opening. One by one, black carbon bottles were flung in an arc above the shield wall. It scattered in every direction, hoping to spread the effect as wide and as effectively as they can. It took several seconds for the smoke to build up, as expected of makeshift grenades, but they have no other option but to wait a little bit longer.

Obviously, it attracted enemy snipers, and loud commotions erupted at the opened windows. Some bolts were shot. Apparently, some panicked that their prey might get away before their reinforcements arrived. But it didn’t do anything. The shield wall stood firm.

After a minute that felt like a thousand, smoke filled their entire vision. Their grenades worked.

This is it.

“Rescue team!”

It’s now or never.

“Move out!”

Thunderous rumble of a dozen souls kicking off the ground in sync was a sight to behold, adding to the chaos caused by the smoke that has now carpeted the whole street. 

Loud shouting in the distance marked the incoming arrow barrage they will soon face. They left their enemy with no choice but to indiscriminately shoot at the smoke, hoping to hit at least several of the scurrying prey.

And so, the arrow rain commenced. Dozens of arrows flew through the air and dived into the sea of smoke. Being completely taken off their sight, the arrows strayed far from their intended targets; striking into innocent rubbles and ruins instead.

With only several stray arrows that landed several inches from their limbs, the group remained relatively intact. Several arrows grazed their clothes or a fraction of the skin. Not enough to slow any of them down. 

After a while, the thick smoke gradually disappeared and the faint sight of the ruined city returned. At this moment, they have run far enough for the arrow rain to be reduced to a mere trickle. They almost made it out alive.

“Keep moving!”

Just a few breaths away and the end of the smoke field is within their reach. 

Blood pumped faster in Cagliostro’s veins, adrenaline rush raised her excitement. This is it. This is the rush of persevering through what seems like an impossible obstacle. Just like what they always did, back in the old days of soaring through the skies. 

She unconsciously turned her gaze to Gran, the source of all of that memory. He’s laughing. It seems the feeling was mutual.

“We did it! We did it!!”

His contagious laugh made Cagliostro chuckle as well, sending an extra surge of energy to hasten her running steps.

This is fun. Maybe this world is not so bad after all.

Maybe, as they try to bring Gran’s memories back, they could make new memories of their own here. A new adventure, to brag about to the crew back home.

It’s perf-

Wait.

Something is wrong.

Was everything going far too smoothly? Though the plan was devised and executed by themselves, Cagliostro can’t shake this weird feeling away. She frantically looked right and left to find anything out of place. And just then, she could feel something.

A murderous gaze, sharp enough to kill as is, was locking onto them. To be precise, locking on  _ one _ of them. Cagliostro turned her head around, and that’s when she saw it. 

Through the slowly disappearing smoke; a man in chromatic black and white, as if no other color could corrupt him, is standing on top of a ruined building. He stood perfectly still, with his eyes trained behind the sights of a carbon fiber crossbow. 

They are at least a couple of kilometers apart. With the scattering winds blowing in a seemingly random direction, it should be impossible to hit a moving target this far. But the sniper remained calm, taking all the time in the world. Still aiming down his target:

A man draped in a black coat.

This is bad. She couldn’t explain it, but this is bad. He will make the shot and he will succeed. Cagliostro just knew it.

“Gran!!!!”

He didn’t hear it. 

“Damnit! Gr-”

It was then.

A bolt, as dark as death itself, launched from its barrel. Soaring through the dusty sky in an arc with tremendous speed, and she could see it approaching by the seconds. In several heartbeats, it will strike the man she’s desperately trying to save.

Yet he didn’t realize it. Basked in an ecstasy of escaping from the claws of death, not knowing he’s walking straight to another impending doom.

“Damn it!”

With every ounce of energy she has left, she kicked the ground as hard as she could. After a split second in the air, their bodies collide. One second, she could feel how Gran was pushed out of the way, out of harm’s way. The next second, the world suddenly came to a complete still as if time was frozen. No, it was perhaps more accurate to say time slowed down to a fraction of a second. 

Cagliostro could feel her body hovering in the air as if her body was as light as a feather. Her mind scrambled to grasp what just happened until the sharp pain on the left side of her body and a figure of what looks like a long, black shaft sticking out from her sobered her up.

It is, for certain, that the arrow has struck her straight at her back and pierced through her chest. A burning sensation quickly spread over her body. So hot and painful, that her consciousness rapidly fades away.

Her body has now flung several meters away, and the weight of her eyelids are too much to bear. As her eyes start to close, she could feel her body dragged back by gravity. She did an involuntary somersault and rolled a dozen times on the ground before she grinds to a halt and ends up on her side. 

All sound grew distant, and darkness was all she could see. 

After several moments of high-pitched ringing, a faint sound tried to force its way in. 

Incoherent mumbles slowly turned into a distant call - of her name. Again and again, the voice tried to reach the barely unconscious girl. Her mind begged her to ignore everything and just succumb to the darkness, but the voice prevented her to do so.

As the sound grew significantly louder, she tried to pry open her heavy eyelids.

A broken shaft, and the worried face of a young man. He’s shouting, screaming something close to her name. He’s several inches away from her face, yet his voice still sounds so far away. With a speck of consciousness left in her, she tried to move her lips and vibrate her vocal cords.

“Gr… a…”

Was all she could muster before another sharp pain shocked her body. Her body convulsed and a soundless scream escaped her mouth. All thoughts escaped her mind, and her consciousness took a deep plunge.

The world spins before disappearing completely.

The last thing she could hear was Gran’s faint voice.

Screaming ‘Medic!’ over and over again.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
